Monday, February 11, 2013

Ever since National Party dickhead Jonathan Young claimed the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill would bring "order to the chaos" and protect NZers from the Skynet-like internet, no one can look at him without laughing. Dickhead

Kids take blame for illegal downloadThe Coldplay song Paradise and Kesha's We R Who We R have cost a 50-year-old man $557 as he became the second offender punished under new laws banning illegal online music sharing.

The Copyright Tribunal handed down the decision on Friday evening - and several more are in the pipeline thanks to an aggressive approach to illegal file-sharing by the industry body, the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand.

The offender, who has name suppressed, blamed his 12 and 8-year-old sons for downloading bitTorrent, a programme which allows computer users to illegal download and upload music files.

Hmmm. Remember back in 2010 when the examples RIANZ were pushing to get their ridiculous new copywrong infringement fascism past were this...

Robin Sazeel Hassan, 30, was arrested for selling pirated copies of Michael Jackson CDs following a police raid on his Manurewa store on September 30 2009.

About 20 Michael Jackson and Eminem CDs believed to contain pirated material were seized, as well as a computer with optical disc burning capabilities.

He pleaded guilty in Manukau District Court to selling the counterfeit CDs and remanded for sentence on May 12.

The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) said today "pirate CD sellers are thieves".

...interesting isn't it. In the latter case in 2010 you could appreciate RIANZ position. A guy burning CDs to then sell is a clear threat to RIANZ and demands some type of action, but to have that genuine issue mutated into the 3 strikes 'Skynet' horror we have now seems more akin to an Israeli jet bombing Palestinian schoolchildren in response for rock throwing.

How RIANZ has managed to convince us that fining a 50 year old dad $557 because his kids illegally downloaded Coldplay and Kesha is remarkable. We should get RIANZ to negotiate every trade deal we have, if they can brainwash us into thinking their commercial interests are somehow crucial for the smooth running of western civilization, they can argue our way for NZ Butter to gain entry to US and European markets.

What I love is how RIANZ argued for a fine over $1600 instead of the $557 Dad had to pay...

Rianz, which must pay $25 for each warning letter sent, wanted him to fork out $1681 in fines and expenses, and suggested the tribunal consider the amount people are fined for driving without a licence or parking in disabled parks, or fines of up to $480 handed out in Germany for the same offences.

...that's right, downloading Coldplay and Kesha is on par with driving without a license or parking in disabled parks. As if RIANZ not making vast profits for American artists is on par with dangerous driving or inconveniencing the disabled.

I say all of this as someone who has never illegally downloaded a song in my life because as we all know, good music died after 2003. I spit contempt at RIANZ, not because I download their music, I spit contempt as someone bewildered that they've gained so much power in such a short period of time.

This stupid 3 strikes law granting RIANZ such absurd powers needs to be repealed the moment a new Government replaces this terrible one in 2014.